North Hearted
by purple howl
Summary: What really happened at the sanctuary? When Frey returns, he finds an unexpected survivor. Will the new masters be able to reconstruct the branch and keep the mara away?


Author's note: Hi! This is my very first fan fiction. Before you start, please understand that though I tried my hardest, I'm not English, so I apologize for any kind of language errors. If you notice them, please let me know so I can fix it. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Alice 19th. I do own my original characters (which will be quite a few…)

Purple Howl presents

**North hearted**

Chapter one:

A young man with blond hair and green eyes obscured with sadness forwarded among the last snow of the season, placing a little white flower in each recent grave of the Lotsuan sanctuary. Not far, following him, was a little girl. Her long black hair was braided, falling over her shoulder. She carried a bunch of the same little flower. Over every grave where there was a flower, there was also a bracelet with round black stones, that couldn't even reflect the sunlight, as they had done for many years while bearing their original red color. The bracelet of the lotis words turned black once a person gave herself to the darkness.

They both did their task in silence, while the sun would fall down, slowly. The girl shivered from the cold under her dark dress, but she did not complain. The work kept going until only one small flower was left in her white hands.

"Did you bring too much?" Frey asked

"That is odd." she said, with a sad smile, as she looked at the flower "I could have sworn I had counted them correctly…"

"Keep it" he suggested, already traveling back, towards the sanctuary, were they both lived at the time. "Put it in water, maybe the root will grow up again."

"Not likely. I have tried, they always die. That is why I do not pick flowers."

"Hum…" Frey said, used to the little girls humor (or lack of it). He said meanly: "remind me to give you dead flowers from now on." She blushed "let's go, Seira, it's getting chilly."

She smiled shyly, knowing that Frey would never let himself stay sad for long. She hurried at his side.

It had been a week since Frey returned from Japan, with the purpose of rebuilding his home sanctuary. His old masters were all dead. The only living people that had ever been inside the sanctuary were the teachers who were training the new masters, who thanks to God's grace did not usually live in the edifice, but at the nearest town instead. And the young girl, Seira, that was spared of the massacre by a miracle. Frey never asked her about it, for he was almost sure Seira had killed her attackers in self defense, and that she had done it perfectly clear headed, unlike the other masters, who were possessed by mara. The only thing the young Norwegian boy asked himself was if this strange child was this quiet and closed before the incident.

Frey said good night to Seira, and she waved back, before each one went to sleep. He walked through the empty halls, his steps echoing, recalling how busy they were before, when this was a house full of happy, optimistic people, living in peace thanks to the words each one carried in the heart. The sun was starting to take more and more time to set as spring time was coming. It still shined shyly through the corridor's stained-glass windows.

"…Frey…?"

A whispering voice woke up the 19th year old. He rubbed his eyes, trying to get used to the darkness around him. When he opened them, he saw a small figure, with long black hair. Frey recognized Seira through her grey, beautiful eyes.

"Another nightmare?" He asked. She nodded, and Frey sat down in his bed. Seira was always like this. She had a lot of nightmares, and soon he figured out that they were not just from what she had been through. The first night he spent there after his return, he heard her screaming, and in such way he made her promise that every time she had a dream again she would come to wake him up. A promise that she kept, at least most of the time, because he knew she liked to let him sleep in peace, even if that meant to be alone with her demons. And if that was not enough, He came to find out that this strange little girl had some really strange "little" dreams, like visions, that allowed her to see the near future. He sweat dropped thinking about how he came to figure this out. "No wonder she survived." He concluded.

"Come, let's go get some hot cocoa or something" He said, getting up and putting on a coat over the warm pajama. "I wasn't sleeping very well, either."

"Liar" she said loud enough for him to listen, but he didn't look back.

"Am not. How can you tell I was sleeping well?" He teased. She looked sarcastically at him, and he sighed. "Right, I forgot about your sixth sense."

"What did you dream about today?" He asked as they walked the long way to the kitchen, as if he was asking her about the wonderful weather.

"Let's not talk about it this time." She said. Frey looked at her, worried. She had never answered that. She would always find a way around it. She was scared, that much Frey could tell. Seira was strange, even mystic, but not hard to read; just confusing.

"That bad, huh?" He answered. "Well, if we don't talk about your dream, let's talk about mine. Well, I was in this bathroom…" He started.

"Shut up, Frey, I need not hear your disgusting fantasies." Seira said bluntly. She was really angry about something.

"…That bad, huh?"

Morning came, has it always did. Seira and Frey had to go to town early, to refill the larder. She woke up with the same fowl disposition, but she hid it from her friend. She rarely showed her true emotions, the rest of the time they were well hidden under the same sad yet pretty smile. Frey could not figure it out most of the time. Sometimes he could see it, but unfortunately for him, this was not one of those times.

During the meeting in the kitchen (they had quitted eating in the sanctuary's dining room, since it was so big the sound of their chewing echoed) they didn't speak much: Seira, as always, and Frey, simply because he didn't get to sleep much after Seira's dream. He was always wondering if she was having another nightmare, and ended up taking his blanket and pillow to the other side of her room's door. The only problem with this was that he had to stay awake, so that she wouldn't find out about it. He would have a really bad week, trying to survive Seira's revenge. "The problem about Seira is that she knows me too well".

"Say, Frey" Seira said, waking him up "I have been seeing a girl in my dreams."

"Huh…?" he said not quite listening. She glared angrily at him, as he fell asleep _again_.

"Never mind." She said, ignoring his snores. She brought that on herself.

Seira ended up going all the way down to town alone, leaving a sleeping Frey in his room. She didn't like doing it, but Frey needed his sleep. She really wanted him to rest. Soon the town was visible down the valley. She dusted her long white dress to make her look more presentable, and started the descent.

The North European Lotsuan Sanctuary was built near a small quiet town, from which many new lotis masters came. Nobody knew what happened there, and oddly, no one blamed the ones who survived. The teachers would keep coming to educate her, at least for another year, and they would start as soon has things had calmed down again. She knew that this people's good will to the remaining masters was due to the effect the lotis words had in their hearts. No one wanted to see the masters leave, nor their kind peace, and their caring ways. That's why, when the sanctuary's means of survival were destroyed, the town accepted the frequent visits of Frey and his little girl companion.

Yes, because they could remember Frey's name, but Seira was only his little girl companion. They probably thought she was to blame for the incident, though when Frey was around, they would treat her kindly thanks to his strong secure aura, which made the people's mara disappear. She did not have that aura. Actually, she wasn't very good at using the lotis words, either. O.K., she sucked. And that is why little Seira didn't like to go to town alone. She would still go, but that does not mean that she likes it.

Because she came so early, there weren't many people on the street, so she managed to do her shopping without getting picked on. Well, at least until she stopped by the sidewalk to catch her breath. The bags were heavy! And she still had to go to the grocery store. There was no way in hell she could climb all the way up by herself with the bags.

"Oh well, I will think about it later; first, the grocery store." Seira picked her heavy bags and kept going, ignoring the women whispering about her across the street.

The grocery's owner, an old man, saluted her kindly. He was always nice to her, saying that he was too old to play around talking about people behind their backs when they didn't deserve it. He was the reason why she would only go to the grocery store in the end of her tour: because he would listen to her terrible morning and curse all of those who were mean to her. This time, there were two more people in the store: a woman, buying some onions, and a golden haired person, waiting. Seira recognized the last one.

She knew Frey had family in that town. He never spoke about it, and she thought he never would. She had no idea of what had happened, but it wasn't good and she decided not to ask, from their first trip to town, when they walked right by each other with menacing glares. The man with gold hair was Frey's uncle. He recognized her too, and smiled.

"Hello there" He said. She looked at him, surprised. "You must be Seira, it's a pleasure to meet you"

Seira was about to say "wish I could say the same", but she didn't. That family did not need any more wars. "Smile" she said to herself, recognizing the fake happy tone in her company's voice" Smile and pretend you're not bright."

"Pleased to meet you too" she said. She didn't know what that man was thinking, so she would play his game. "And you are…?"

"Ingar" he answered, smiling.

"So, little Seira, the same long list has always?" the old man asked, in his usual mood. She nodded. "Let me tell you" he said, now talking to Ingar "the cursed minute that these young masters stop coming here, I'll be broke. She practically takes the whole store with her" Ingar laughed.

"But those look heavy" Frey's uncle said, when he noticed the several bags in Seira's hands, now red from the effort. "How will you make it to the hill? You should let me help." And without giving her a chance to actually say no to his nice offer, he toke the bags the old grocery man gave him, and waited until Seira had payed, walking her outside afterwards.

"Let's stop by my house" he said laughing, after a quite loud growl came out of Seira's stomach.

"I really don't want to intrude…" She said, but after another growl, she gave up and accepted the offer. "This is all Frey's fault!" She thought angrily, as she walked down the street, on that cold but very beautiful morning. "He was so sleepy this morning that we never got to eat breakfast! I could not allow him to use a stove in the state he was in!" She cursed against him practically all the way to Ingar's house.

Ingar kindly invited her in, putting her bags down carefully in the hall. She took her shoes off (it's a Norwegian habit, since due to the cold they have to use really heavy snow boots), and followed the man to the kitchen. She sat down quietly, wondering what she had put herself into.

Frey woke up right about then. At first he thought that he had dreamt that he had already got up once, but changed his mind when he noticed he was already dressed.

"Seira?!" He yelled to the corridor. No response. She probably went to town on her own so he could get some sleep. Frey yawned. "I better go down too" he thought, knowing that his friend would have a hard time trying to climb the hill by herself. He went down appreciating the walk, thinking about nothing at all. Frey was born in that beautiful country but he didn't have many good memories of it. So it was at times like those, when he walked alone in the woods that surrounded the sanctuary, he would really think about the beauty of his home country. Before he knew it, he was already in town, being greeted by the town's people. He walked around a little, and totally forgot about what he was supposed to do there while flirting with a couple of cute girls.

"Hello there! Beautiful day for a walk with someone, don't you think?" Frey said, with a big grin.

"Did you enjoy it?" Ingar asked, after they had eaten a really good breakfast. "So this is where Frey learned how to cook" She thought.

"It was wonderful! You are a great cook." Seira said smiling.

"Why, thank you. Has Frey learned something with me?" At that point, Seira got suspicious. Why would Ingar bring the matter up?

"Yes, he cooks very well too. But he uses too much pepper." Ingar laughed. "Play dumb, Seira."

"Yes, I had warned him about it when he lived here. He was a good kid, but too childish, and a huge burden." Ingar said, taking the dishes away from the table. "I suppose that had to change, since now he has to look after you."

"Yes, I suppose it had." She answered shyly. "He is doing his best."

"I'm sure he is." She didn't like his tone. She didn't like his tone at all. She was too weak at lotis using to sense mara, and in case it appeared there, she would be trapped. "Play his game" She thought.

Ingar sat down next to her again, this time looking at her. Seira blushed.

"You really are a beautiful girl." He said. "Why else would he keep you around?"

Frey had said good bye to the pretty ladies, and entered the grocery store. He knew Seira was the owner's friend, and he also knew she always kept that store for last, so he would be able to tell if she had already returned.

The moment he got in, the man behind the balcony greeted him.

"Hey there, Frey! Seira has already been here." He said.

"Bad luck" Frey answered "I wanted to help her, I bet she's having a hard time trying to climb her way up to the edifice…"

"I don't think so" The old man said, turning around to get something from the shelves behind him "She left with Ingar, he offered to help"

"_What?!_" Frey yelled, gasping from his interrupted yawn. "Why the hell didn't you say so the minute I got in?" H practically jumped over the balcony.

"Hey, no need to curse" He said. _Yeah, like you're one to talk_ Frey thought, angrily and really worried. "Did you see where they went? How long ago did they leave?"

"About half an hour ago." The old man said. "I think he invited Seira to eat breakfast with him. Why are you so mad? You know, you really should solve things out with Ingar. Everybody thinks so; even though I would do exactly the same if had caught my own daughter with…" He realized he was alone and that Frey had left, running like a mad man.

"Why in the world is Seira friends with this old man?" Frey wondered, as he ran down the road, so fast people were starting to stare and wonder what he was chasing. "Well, she must have the bad habit of making the wrong friends. Can she do anything besides giving me a hard time?" Luckily, Ingar's house was near. Frey ran even faster.

Seira was about to ask Ingar what he meant, when the main door was slammed. She jumped in her chair, and Ingar got up, surprised. He was leaving the kitchen to open the door, when Frey came in using "vimuku", uninvited and angry like none of them had ever seen him before. He looked around, analyzing the situation and then he sighted, realizing that nothing had happened. He looked at Seira and saw her confusion.

"Well, what a surprise. I thought you would never have the nerve to come back here." Ingar said, smirking.

"I'm sorry, Ingar. I was worried about Seira." Frey said, with a careful voice. Seira knew that tone. It was the same careful tone he had used to talk to her the first time they met. The polite tone he used once he suspected mara was around. Was there mara in Ingar's heart? She could not sense it, due to her inexperience. "I guess I worried about nothing. We'll be leaving now." He said. Without wasting any more time, he grabbed most of Seira's bags and waited for her to put her shoes on, so they could leave.

She did so, grabbed the remaining bags and turned around to say good bye to Ingar.

"Thank you so much for your hospitality" she said. But then she turned her face to him and realized something was wrong; terribly wrong.

Seira did not have time to run, or even to realize what was happening. She felt Frey's harms pulling her back, the bags falling down all over the hall and a terrible smell, that she recognize has a sign of really thick mara. When she opened her grey eyes again, she saw Frey being held by his neck, floating about 6 inches from the floor by a hand made of dark mara, coming out of Ingar's arm.

"Frey!" She yelled. The mara fingers were starting to tighten around his neck and he was having trouble breathing, losing strength from the destructive power of the human heart. Without even thinking twice, she jumped to Ingar, throwing him down. The dark arm lost it's support, and Frey fell. Ingar grabbed her neck instead, trying to get her out of the way. Or was she the main target?

"He killed my daughter…" Ingar said, possessed by the mara. Dark mist was starting to appear again, forming a new hand. "My beautiful Ida…I'll kill you, then. He will know how it's like to lose someone so close… She…shouldn't…" Seira was getting scared.

"Let… Me go!" She gasped. Frey was about to use his lotis words. "Wait! ...Do not…" But it was too late. The words had been spoken.

Seira stopped listening, as if her head had been suddenly placed underwater. Frey moved his lips saying something with a surprised face, but she didn't listen. Her vision got blurry and then everything turned dark. "Not again…" was her last thought.

Frey was standing, trying to understand why the seal words didn't work. He saw Ingar disappear along with all the dark mist and Seira fainting, with no apparent reason. He stopped sensing the mara, and the house fell into a complete silence. Then, remembering that his friend was still in the middle of the floor he ran to her, trying to wake her up.

"Seira? Wake up! Seira!" The girl didn't even move. "What happened?" Ingar was nowhere to be seen. From what Frey had seen, if he didn't know better, he'd think that Seira had "absorbed" Ingar and all the mara, but that was not possible! Besides, they didn't got inside his uncle's inner heart, they were still in reality! How could the seal not open with his words?

"Seira?" He called again, already knowing the answer.

"My, my. This is rather chaotic. I'm glad I got here in time." A male voice behind him said. Frey turned and saw a tall boy with glasses, wearing a long brown jacket. His hair was so light it almost seemed white, and his bangs revealed only one of his blue eyes. He was holding in one hand his travel bag and in his other hand…in his other had there was a bracelet filled with round red gems.

Author's note: So here it is. Please let me know what you think. My unwritten fan fictions depend on this! I hope to update soon.


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